Losing weight can significantly improve your health and increase your lifespan. If obesity is a concern, weight loss surgery might be a viable and safe solution. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the Lowell General Weight Loss Clinic, its various options, and other alternatives to help you make an informed decision.
Weight Loss Surgery: An Overview
Bariatric surgery is a common weight loss procedure that reduces the size of your stomach. A smaller stomach holds less food, making you feel full faster, which can help you eat less and absorb fewer calories. Common surgical options include gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy. These procedures support long-term weight loss but require lifelong diet, exercise, and lifestyle changes.
Qualifying for Weight Loss Surgery
To qualify for weight loss surgery, your body mass index (BMI) must be 35 or higher, and you should have already tried diet and exercise. If you have conditions like type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, or sleep apnea, weight loss surgery may be particularly beneficial.
Surgical Options at Lowell General Weight Loss Clinic
Lowell General Weight Loss Clinic offers a full spectrum of safe and effective surgical procedures for obesity, weight disorders, and metabolic diseases. The surgical team performs a high volume of weight loss surgeries and achieves excellent outcomes. The clinic offers minimally invasive weight-loss surgery using small incisions about as wide as your fingernail, leading to smaller scars and a faster, safer recovery.
There are several types of weight loss surgery, each designed to help with long-term success. Your doctor will recommend the best option based on your health and weight-loss goals.
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Bariatric Revision Surgery
Some individuals may not achieve their weight-loss goals after their initial surgery or may encounter problems. Bariatric revision surgery aims to fix or improve a previous surgery. The Lowell General team uses the latest revision methods to help patients reach their weight-loss goals.
Duodenal Switch Surgery
This procedure is designed to facilitate significant weight loss, especially for those with a body mass index (BMI) of 50 or higher or a BMI of 40 or higher with health problems like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, or sleep apnea. Lowell General offers two types of duodenal switch surgery:
- Biliopancreatic Diversion with Duodenal Switch (BPD-DS): This surgery reduces the stomach size and reroutes the intestines to absorb fewer calories.
- Single Anastomosis Duodeno-Ileal Bypass with Sleeve Gastrectomy (SADI-S): This procedure also aids weight loss by altering how the body absorbs food.
Gastric Bypass Surgery
Gastric bypass surgery involves dividing your stomach into two parts. The smaller part can only hold 1-2 ounces of food, making you eat less because your stomach is smaller. This surgery also slows down how fast food moves through your body and changes hormones to help you lose weight faster.
Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy
In this procedure, a large part of your stomach is removed, leaving a smaller tube or "sleeve." The new smaller stomach holds about three to four ounces of food. Post-surgery, the production of the hormone ghrelin, which makes you feel hungry, is reduced, thus decreasing hunger. There is also a reduced risk of nutrient absorption issues.
Body Sculpting Surgery
Lowell General also offers body sculpting surgery like abdominoplasty, also called a tummy tuck, to remove and tighten loose skin after major weight loss.
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Medical Weight Loss Options
In addition to surgical options, medical weight loss options are available. Some medicines can help control hunger and support weight loss when used with healthy habits.
Preparing for Surgery
The clinic will help you prepare for surgery with guidance on increasing exercise and limiting calories.
The Team at Lowell General
The Lowell General team of specially trained doctors, nurses, dietitians, social workers, and clinical exercise physiologists provides the full range of state-of-the-art open and laparoscopic surgical procedures and treatments in a safe and comfortable environment.
Accreditation
Lawrence General Hospital’s Weight Management and Bariatric Center is fully accredited by the American College of Surgeons and the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery through their joint Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program.
Contact Information
The Weight Management and Bariatric office is located on the third floor of Andover Medical Center at 323 Lowell Street, Andover, MA. You can reach the office by calling (978) 946-8450.
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Lowell General Hospital Weight Management + Bariatric-Surgery - Chelmsford
The area's most comprehensive, medically supervised solution to weight control is at the Lowell General Hospital Weight Management + Bariatric-Surgery - Chelmsford. The experienced and specially-trained physicians have performed thousands of surgeries, and the nationally accredited program includes all the support you need - before, during, and after surgery - to ensure you are successful throughout your entire weight loss journey.
The clinic offers virtual visits, telemedicine, and online education in addition to in-person clinic visits.
Integrated GIC: A Holistic Alternative
Integrated GIC focuses on sustainable lifestyle changes for long-term weight management. Their program integrates a multidisciplinary team using medication, minimally invasive procedures (like intragastric balloons), and a virtual program focusing on "FUEL, BODY, MIND, and SLEEP", promoting overall well-being. While initial weight loss may be slower, the emphasis on lifestyle changes promotes lasting results.
Lifestyle Medicine Pathway
The clinical team partners with weight loss clients to modify behaviors and make sustainable changes to optimize health and wellness. Providers also utilize evidence-based health coaching techniques to help individuals realize their inner strengths and build upon their personal value system.
Nutritional Services
IGIC recommends a whole-food plant-predominant Mediterranean-style diet plan. Weight loss clients meet individually with registered dietitians for customized meal plans and nutritional advice. They also host cooking classes led by their MLMC clinicians, demonstrating how to make easy, delicious, and nutritious meals. Patients can also order meal replacements directly from their Meal Replacement Program.
Obesity Medications Pathway
The Obesity Medications Pathway combines lifestyle changes with the use of medications for appropriate candidates to lower body disease and decrease the risk of associated chronic diseases. Program participants will meet individually with an obesity medicine specialist to determine which treatment option is best for them. Medication decisions will be made on an individual basis, after a thorough review of prescribed medications, past medical history, current health conditions, and physical exam findings.
The obesity medicine team will monitor participant progress carefully, making adjustments as necessary, for optimal results. Please note, not all patients will qualify for weight loss medication.
Endoscopic Therapy
In addition to lifestyle intervention and weight loss medication, IGIC offers minimally invasive, cutting-edge endoscopic procedures, such as the Intragastric Balloon, a removal non-surgical method to kick start weight loss, and Apollo OverStitch, a procedure for patients who have regained weight after gastric bypass.
Obesity: A Chronic Disease
Obesity is a complex, chronic, treatable disease. Research has shown that weight loss can reverse or reduce the risk of over 200 obesity-related diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, fatty liver, and 13 types of cancer.
Partnered Programs
IGIC is partnered with the Lowell General Hospital and Lawrence General Hospital Centers for Weight Management and offers comprehensive, coordinated care to support patients seeking weight reduction.
Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD)
Currently, NAFLD affects 1 in 3 US adults. NAFLD is the fastest-growing chronic liver disease in the US and is driven by increased diagnosis of Type 2 Diabetes and obesity. This increases one’s risk of cirrhosis and liver cancer. NAFLD will soon be the number one reason for liver transplant. The ability to recognize and treat fatty liver early is important in preventing chronic disease. A 10% reduction in body weight can help reverse fatty liver disease.
IGIC is partnering with a proprietary and virtual wellness program called Novoliver, which is built on the four pillars of FUEL, BODY, MIND, and SLEEP to help patients reverse fatty liver. Additionally, their goal is for patients to achieve a state of complete physical and mental well-being.
Testimonials
Many patients have shared positive experiences with the PIVIO program, noting significant weight loss, improved health, and a better understanding of nutrition.
Physicians
Lowell General Hospital has a team of dedicated physicians:
- Roy Shen, MD, FACS, FASMBS: Present Chief of Surgery and Trauma Medical Director of Lowell General Hospital. Completed over 2000 laparoscopic-bariatric surgeries to date. Board certified in General Surgery since 2004. Was a pharmacist at Bryn Mawr Hospital from 1990-1996. Enjoys spending time with his family.
- David Lin, MD, FACS, MEng: Board certified in General Surgery, Colon and Rectal Surgery. Strong interest in minimally invasive surgical techniques for colon and rectal problems along with Transanal Endoscopic Microsurgery (TEM). Skilled in the treatment of hemorrhoids and perianal diseases.
- Caitlin Polistena, MD: Board certified in General Surgery. Fellowship in minimally invasive and bariatric surgery. Performed over 200 laparoscopic bariatric surgeries. Enjoys hiking, fishing, skiing, travel, and spending time with her family.
- Michelle Nessen, MD: Board certified in General Surgery. Fellowship in Advanced GI/Minimally Invasive and Bariatric Surgery. Performed over 200 laparoscopic and robotic bariatric surgeries.